Missouri gets $54M in stimulus to turn around worst schools
By Cara | April 13, 2010
Sigh – looks like this money will only go to charter schools or closing schools in St. Louis since the SLPS cannot afford to replace principals and half the teachers in the district. But I wonder if “individual” schools can apply, or only entire districts…
via St. Louis Business Journal:.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced Monday that Missouri will receive $54 million in federal funding to turn around its lowest-achieving schools, particularly 50 struggling schools in St. Louis and Kansas City.
These funds are part of the $3.5 billion that will be made available to states this spring from money set aside in the 2009 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Missouri’s application, which includes its list of persistently lowest-achieving schools, can be downloaded here.
When school districts apply to the state for the money this spring, they must indicate their plans to reopen schools as charter schools, close schools or replace principals and half the teachers, federal education officials said. Each school building is eligible to receive $50,000 to $2 million over three years.
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8th Ward Resident Appointed to Board of Police Commissioners
By Cara | April 8, 2010
My belated congrats to Michael Gerdine – Cara
Gov. Nixon appoints two to St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners.
Gov. Nixon appoints two to St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon today announced two appointments to the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners. The board is responsible for oversight of the operation of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The appointments will be subject to approval by the Missouri Senate.
The Governor has appointed former Circuit Judge Michael B. Calvin, of St. Louis, for a term ending Jan. 31, 2014. Judge Calvin served as a circuit judge on the bench of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit from 1988 to 2008, and as an associate circuit judge from 1979 to 1988. A graduate of the Saint Louis University School of Law, he is now of counsel with the law firm of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne.
While on the bench, Judge Calvin was designated to sit on the Missouri Supreme Court three times to hear cases. He served as a member of the Supreme Court advisory committee, the circuit court budget committee, and the legislative steering committee. He is a member of the Mound City Bar Association and was honored by the association with its “Legal Legend” award.
Judge Calvin has served as a competition judge for moot court and mock trial competitions for Saint Louis University and Washington University Schools of Law, as well as a truancy court judge at Beaumont High School. He is a former Boy Scoutmaster and is a senior warden at All Saints Episcopal Church.
The Governor also appointed Dr. Michael L. Gerdine (Ger-DEEN), of St. Louis, for a term ending Jan. 31, 2011. Dr. Gerdine is a doctor of chiropractic and the founder and CEO of West End Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center in St. Louis. He served on the State Board of Health from last August until the end of January.
Dr. Gerdine also owns another small business in St. Louis, Elite Detailing. A graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic, he provides yearly physical examinations as a philanthropic service for the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Louis. He also serves on the board of directors for his alma mater, Christian Brothers College High School.
“These are two people of the highest integrity who are well-respected and have a long record of giving back to the community,” Gov. Nixon said. “I have confidence in their ability to be part of a strong police board that will work hand in hand with Chief Isom to serve the citizens of St. Louis.”
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Voters approve Metro tax
By Cara | April 7, 2010
via St. Louis Business Journal:
St. Louis County voters approved a half-cent sales tax to restore and expand Metro mass transit service.
Proposition A passed with 94,294 votes, or 63 percent, according to the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners.
“I thank the voters of St. Louis County for doing the hard thing because it was the right thing,” St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley said. “The people who benefit from this vote are young and old, black and white, rich and poor. They are our family, our friends, and our neighbors. They are seniors. They are students. They are disabled. They will ride buses and trains to get to work and to look for work.”
The measure previously failed in November 2008, forcing the bus and light-rail agency to slash service and lay off hundreds of workers. But this time, John Nations, mayor of Chesterfield, chaired Advance St. Louis, a campaign committee that raised money to move the issue forward.
Others working on the campaign included Metro President and Chief Executive Bob Baer, Nancy Cross of the Service Employees and Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton.
The sales tax increase will generate about $80 million a year for Metro. The measure also triggers a previously passed 0.25 percent tax increase in the city of St. Louis.
“The road forward for the St. Louis County community just got a little easier to travel,” Dooley said.
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St Louis City Central Committee opposes the elimination of the Earnings Tax
By Cara | April 1, 2010
At our meeting on Tuesday, the central committee voted to make a statement opposing the current ballot initiative that would eliminate the earnings tax in the City of St. Louis.
St. Louis Democratic City Central Committee opposes any ballot proposition eliminating or curtailing the Earnings Tax in St. Louis City because there is no viable or reasonable way to replace the Earnings Tax at this time.
Click here for more information about the coalition opposing this initiative
Click here to read the proposed ballot language
Please contact me if you need more info or have any questions.
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8th Ward Brightside Blitz on April 17
By Cara | March 30, 2010
Operation Brightside’s annual campaign, Project Blitz, to clean up city neighborhoods, will take place, April 10 – May 1. Trash collection will begin at 10:00 a.m. Residents are asked to have all items out by this time.
All “Yard Waste Only” (Green Waste) and trash receptacles will be emptied on your Blitz Saturday.
Large appliances, tires, car batteries, and motor oil will also be collected but separately from other bulk items. These items will be recycled.
All debris must be bagged and put into trash receptacles. Loose debris will NOT be picked up. Call (314)772-4646 for more information or visit www.operationbrightside.org to find trash instructions and dates of Project Blitz Saturdays.
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Rep. Tishaura Jones update
By Cara | March 30, 2010
“Greetings!”
“My first bill, HB 1826 was gutted in committee by the usual suspects and a handful of Democrats. The Chairman of the committee used parliamentary procedure to end the executive session once an amendment was added that would grant the authority to close casinos for financial reasons and give them 90-day notice to do so. Unfortunately, the rogue nature of the Missouri Gaming Commission forced Pinnacle to surrender their license earlier this month. If their license was revoked, the rippling effect would have had a horrible rippling effect. However, Pinnacle has assured me that they will do everything they can to help displaced employees. ”
“In other news, HB 1601, that would provide local control of the St. Louis Police Department made a giant step. The bill is currently on it’s way to the House floor!!. Senator Joe Keaveny (D-4), is filing companion legislation in the Senate and was granted a hearing on Tuesday, March 2nd. The local news reported that two bus loads of police were in Jefferson City to show support. Which begs the question, who was watching our streets while the police were up here playing politics? For more information about what Local Control is and what it is not, read the article below.”
In addition, the St. Louis Police Officers Association (POA) has stooped to an all time low in their attempt to mislead and mischaracterize by accusing me of trying to make you believe that Local Control is a racial issue. I have never mentioned race in my attempts to convince anyone to support Local Control. The only time race has been mentioned in the debate about local control was in a letter by sent to the Missouri House from Joe Steiger, Vice President of the POA. Local Control is not about pensions; it is not about the size of the Board of Aldermen; it’s not about the St. Louis Fire Department; and it is not about race. Local Control is about taxation without representation, it is about the sovereignty of the taxpayers of the City of St. Louis to have the same rights that all of the counties in the State of Missouri currently have. A lot Americans believe that the recently passed federal health care legislation is an intrusion on Missouri’s sovereignty, then state control of the St. Louis Police Department is a violation of St. Louis City’s sovereignty on STERIODS. The POA’s assertion that I inserted race in this issue is a blatant and outright lie.
Keeping up the good fight,
Tishaura
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Need Help Filing Taxes?
By Cara | March 30, 2010
Call 1-800-906-9887 to find the nearest tax assistance site.
The following is information about Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and AARP sites. Both VITA and TCE volunteers are certified by the Internal Revenue Service.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers provide free tax assistance to low income, disabled, homebound, and English as a second language taxpayers. Some VITA sites provide assistance only to those taxpayers who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) volunteers provide free tax assistance to individuals in your community who are age 60 and older. All TCE sites provide assistance with state tax credits. AARP volunteers provide assistance at many TCE sites to those age 60 and older and also serve other taxpayers with middle and low incomes.
Unfortunately, VITA sites do not exist in many rural areas. Many TCE sites will serve low-income tax payers. Call the nearest TCE site for information.
If you have questions about tax assistance sites in Missouri, you can e-mail motax@missouri.edu.
If you would like to become a VITA volunteer, or if you would like to start a site in your area, contact the IRS Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC), 1222 Spruce Street, Stop 1022-STL, St. Louis, MO 63103.
Go to http://www.irs.gov/ to visit the Internal Revenue Service Web site. It contains tax information on a wide variety of topics.
For more information about the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax topics, go to http://missourifamilies.org/features/financearticles/taxes.htm.
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